Is there anything better than to explore a new place with a local?

Yes, exploring a new place with a local who loves good food! 

Located next to the more famous Valparaiso, Viña del Mar receives far less international tourists than its neighbor. Valparaiso has more history and touristic attractions, specially in the center which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Viña del Mar, on the other hand, has what Valparaiso lacks: nice beaches. For this reason it is a popular destination for Chileans and Argentinians who want to spend some relaxing days at the sea.

I was there in May, in autumn, so unfortunately it was too cold to swim in the sea. Why was i there then…? Because one of the friends I was visiting in Santiago is originally from Viña del Mar. We  spent a few days in Viña and went a bit around, including to Valparaiso. And I liked the city: quiet, natural, and with plenty of good food to try! 

I definitely felt at home in Chile. While Santiago reminded me of Barcelona, Viña reminded me of the villages in the Mediterranean coast. Yes, I know, I have a lot of imagination! But remember that I landed in Chile after traveling 4 months in Asia and 2 months in Australia and New Zealand (I guess I might not have felt that way if I had gone there directly from Barcelona).

Anyway, I love coast cities (and water places in general) and Viña was no exception. It is very pleasant and while it does not have any major touristic attraction, it does have a few nice places to see.

However, as I said before, the highlight of my days in Viña was the food! 

Good food

Empanadas

My all time favorite in Chile! “Empanadas” are made of folded stuffed dough, and can be baked or fried. The stuffing can be meat, fish, cheese or vegetables (or a combination of those). The most traditional ones are baked and stuffed with “pino”, which consists on ground beef and onions with one black olive (often with the bone, take care!) and a slice of boiled egg. Other common empanadas are fried and filled with cheese, cheese and ham or cheese and corn.

Where to buy: very easy to find in bakeries, shops, markets and as street food.

Completo

Yes, “completo“ is a sandwich, but it is very popular and good! It is a hot dog complemented with several ingredients and sauce. My favorite is “completo italiano”, with tomato, avocado and mayonnaise. Most places offer two sizes: normal and “gigante” (giant).

Where to eat: very easy to find in sandwich restaurants. 

Chorrillana

“Chorrillana” is a traditional dish made of french fries, onions and beef meat. Very filling!

Where to eat: we went to J.Cruz, in Valparaiso. 

Machas a la parmesana 

“Macha” is a kind of seafood from Chile, and a common way to cook them is with parmesan cheese. Machas a la parmesana is of course popular in the coast (and reading wikipedia I just discovered that the dish is originally from Viña del Mar!).

Where to eat: we went to La Gatita, in Concon (near Viña). 

Pastel de jaiva

“Jaiva” is a crab and “pastel de jaiva” is a pie made in layers with cream, onions, jaiva and some other ingredients. This is another popular dish in the coast of Chile that we tried in Concon. It might not look like it but is it very filling!

Where to eat: we went to La Gatita, in Concon (near Viña).

Alfajores

This is one of my favorite sweets in the world! There are a lot of variations but essentially it is made with two cookies and a sweet filling in between. My favorite alfajores are the ones filled with “manjar”, which is caramelized condensed milk (yes, a sugar bomb!). Most of the time they are covered in chocolate, but sometimes they are not (and are also called “chilenito”).

Where to buy: in supermarkets for the industrial ones and chocolate shops for hand made ones. During my time in Chile and Argentina I ate a lot of hand made alfajores, and the best ones I had were the ones I bought in the shop Sausalito, Viña del Mar. They have alfajores filled with manjar, manjar orange and manjar coco among other delicacies. I miss them!!

To end the post, a small anecdote from the last day. Since I arrived to Chile I started picking Chilean words and some Chilean accent (it was not voluntary, it just happened), getting a mixed accent. As a consequence, people I talked to could not guess where I was from. Weird, I agree.

That day in Viña I entered a restaurant and when I was ordering the food (in Spanish, of course) the waiter asked me if I wished this or that. I paused for a few seconds to think. Then the waiter repeated me the same thing in English. He thought that I was not a Spanish speaker and had not understood! Was my accent that strange?

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